The ever increasing popularity of ice skating has transformed this recreational activity from its original strict limitation to a wintertime activity in regions with cold winters, ice skating being possible only when local rivers, lakes and ponds have frozen. For many years now, ice skating has been an activity wherein spectators can view the action in comfort and the participants are not subjected to sub-freezing temperatures. Many ice rinks are in enclosed arenas with the ice surface of the rink generated and maintained through mechanical refrigeration.
An enclosed ice rink constitutes an unstable thermodynamic system. The enclosure as a whole, as for example a roofed over shopping center, must be maintained at temperatures comfortable for shoppers and employes, e.g., 70.degree.-75.degree. F., through heating or cooling as necessary. Yet, the ice rink typically, 17,000 square feet in area, must be maintained in a frozen state by refrigeration. Unavoidably, large quantities of heat traverses the large interface between the relatively warm ambient air and the cold ice rink surface by conduction, convection and radiation. The surface ice layer of the rink is warmed and melted; correspondingly, the arena, as a whole, is chilled, all of which imposes a high cooling load on the ice rink refrigeration system. Unfortunately, the adverse thermodynamics of the system cannot be avoided while the ice rink is in use.
However, many, if not most, enclosed ice rinks are not operated for many hours of the day, the wee hours of the morning for example, and often are out of operation for up to eight, ten, even twelve hours at a stretch. During the off-hour period, no reason exists for allowing the ice surface to chill the arena enclosure and conversely for allowing the relatively warm enclosure to cast a heavy refrigerating load on the ice rink refrigeration system. Isolating the ice surface from the enclosure during out-of-operation periods is manifestly advantageous.
Workers in the art have appreciated the desirability of insulating the ice rink temporarily. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,802, an earlier invention made by an inventor hereof, suggests deploying a thermo-insulating blanket over the ice surface during periods of non-use. The present invention achieves the same insulation objectives through a completely different approach.
Accordingly, the objective of this invention is to thermally isolate an ice rink from its surrounding enclosure during non-use periods of time.